Drop Shot Fishing on Candlewood Lake
Candlewood Lake · Connecticut · Northeast
Candlewood Lake sits in the western Connecticut hills, a man-made reservoir built in 1928 that runs about 11 miles north to south and drops to depths exceeding 85 feet in its main basin. The fishery divides naturally between rocky points and submerged ledges that favor smallmouth, and shallower cove timber and dock structure that hold largemouth. Water clarity runs high — often 10 to 15 feet of visibility in summer — which makes pressured fish finicky and rewards finesse presentations over brute-force tactics.
The drop shot suspends a soft plastic bait above the bottom on a fixed line, keeping it in the strike zone longer than any other rig. Originally a West Coast technique, it now dominates clear-water and finesse situations nationwide. Works vertically over structure or on a long cast.
Drop Shot Setup for Candlewood Lake
| Rod | 7' medium-light to medium spinning rod, fast action |
| Reel | 2500–3000 size spinning reel, 6.2:1 or higher |
| Line | 6–8 lb fluorocarbon main line or 10 lb braid + 8 lb fluoro leader |
| Weight | 1/8–3/8 oz tungsten drop shot weight (heavier in current or deep water) |
| Hook | #1 or #2 Gamakatsu Finesse Wide Gap, 6–18 inches above weight |
Seasonal Tactics on Candlewood Lake
Lake: Pre-spawn largemouth move into the northern coves and dock-studded flats as water temps push through the low 50s into the 60s, with the best action on points adjacent to those flats in the 8–15 ft range. Smallmouth stage on rocky secondary points and underwater ledges before sliding shallow to spawn, often targeted effectively with shaky heads and tube jigs around the 10–20 ft zone.
Drop Shot: Target staging fish on points and drop-offs in 8–20 feet. Nose-hook a 6" Roboworm or Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Flat Worm.
Lake: Thermocline development pushes bass — especially smallmouth — to deeper structure in the 25–45 ft range by mid-July, with suspended fish occasionally working over submerged timber on the south end. Dock fishing for largemouth remains consistent through summer, particularly during low-light windows on calm mornings when fish tuck under floating docks in 4–8 ft of water.
Drop Shot: Go deep — 20–40 feet on main lake structure. Shake in place with minimal movement. Shad colors dominate.
Lake: Fall is arguably Candlewood's best season for big smallmouth, as cooling water through September and October triggers aggressive feeding along rocky points and main-lake ledge transitions in 12–25 ft. Shad-imitating swimbaits and topwater walkers produce violent strikes during the brief shad-blitz windows that occur on overcast afternoons.
Drop Shot: Follow baitfish to secondary points and pockets. Faster retrieve works as fish get more aggressive.
Lake: Cold-water fishing slows dramatically once surface temps drop below 45°F, but deep smallmouth can still be pried off hard-bottom ledges in 30–50 ft using finesse jigging techniques and drop shots worked with minimal action. Ice coverage is inconsistent year to year, and open-water periods in December and early January sometimes offer surprisingly active fish.
Drop Shot: Slowest presentation of the year. Dead-stick a 4" finesse worm at the bottom. Let it sit 10–15 seconds between shakes.
Best Conditions
Clear to stained water, pressured fish, cold fronts, post-spawn suspended bass, deep structure in summer
Use a Palomar knot and leave the tag end pointing up to keep the hook riding correctly. Most anglers tie it wrong.
More Techniques for Candlewood Lake
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